Fountain of happiness

This morning we took advantage of reason to live in Concord 654123465.12 and went to the Armory at Newington for breakfast. It's on the Parramatta River (as is pretty much else hereabouts) and is away from the road, so chiclets can run wild to their heart's content, subject of course to the aforementioned river and the two metre drop into same off the wharf.

Beth had a run around before we ate, and did some very nice artwork at the table, including a still life called Lizard with Red Scribbles. Well, OK, the lizard part was a dot to dot I did, but the red scribbles were all Beth. After breakfast they had turned the fountain on, so she had a play in that - video to follow. I will note that after our last experience with the fountain, we had packed a change of clothes, because once bitten twice shy, etc. She did get thoroughly soaked, but unlike last time she didn't end up with gumboots full of water, so I am calling it progress.

I drew a B for her in chalk the other day, and she freaked the hell out of me by saying "buh." She repeated this three times, and also when she picked up her wooden letter B. Fortunately if you write A she also says "buh," so I am not quite as scared.

Grant has visited a childcare near where he works which did not simply blow us off re: potential placements for next year, and in fact seemed very positive we might get a place. Grant says the playground is so cool he wants to go there. It's funny to think of Beth in preschool/childcare, but she enjoys structured activities like gymbaroo and artwork so much that I think she's almost ready. We have been very very lucky to have not needed it before now, especially as we haven't been able to get a place anywhere anyway!

Two molars through, two just cutting. No fun.

Maybe gymbaroo wasn't such a great idea...

Beth can now climb up on the dining chairs, and last night when I was making dinner she stood on one of her small chairs to see up on the kitchen bench.

Maybe all that climbing practice at gymbaroo wasn't such a great idea.

Also, for the last two days she has been saying "na" when she needs changing, and patting her nappy on the change table to warn me if it's a poo. Such warnings are always appreciated, especially when one is dealing with teething poo and especially when one has been lured into false confidence by already having changed two pooey nappies in a single day (but wait, there's more...).

In further exciting evacuation related news, yesterday she was having nappy off time on the back verandah while I put washing out. She came over to me and pointed to her crotch, then off to the side of the verandah, where it transpired she had done a massive poo on the floor. Again, good heads up!

Sunset on the shores of the Parramatta, etc

You know what is really something? Playing with your baby with shells on a beach on the shores of the Cabarita bay of the Parramatta river, while the sun drops down over the water. It was dark on our side, but the light hit full on the far side of the bay. There were black pumice stones around our feet. We had just jogged for 20 mins (my first jog in months and months and months) to get there. Reason #34235467234 to live in Concord: embarrassing amounts of natural beauty are but a short sweaty uncoordinated jog away. Also: good coffee.

Unrelenting rain is making it rather a drag to get the washing dry, esp. cloth nappies, which are after all designed to absorb moisture and will happily suck it right out of the air if need be. While I'd like to say I'll go for a jog again this afternoon, I am going to be realistic about that NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

Beth has a fairly stubborn cough right now. Being my daughter, she has decided to multitask and is also suffering from cutting 4 molars and 2 canines. Poor bugger. She's an upbeat little soul though, so it really only screws up her sleep, not her attitude.

I always forget the words she can say now, so to add to the list: MORE (mah!), new this week. She asked for more sandwich this morning after playgroup. Astonishing, as she never ever wants more food.

She can also make a few more animal noises, including miao, roar, click her tongue for a horsie ride or a kangaroo, etc. She can make slurping and "yum yum yum" noises to indicate drinking and eating, and pointed at her Spot book (he gets his dinner at the end) the other day and said "yum yum yum." she also tells Mum's dogs to eat the same way. Kind of adorable. She can follow two-step instructions (put that away then come back to Mummy) sometimes. She likes the rain and this morning raced out into it in her PJs and socks, not so great as we are experiencing a sock shortage here.

Work has been busier, which is nice. I have not only met but exceeded budget for most days this month, woohoo! And the only other news is that I can't think of what to cook for dinner.

[EDIT: - some dodgy photos from Grant's phone below]

The mighty Parramatta. Well, Hen and Chicken bay at any rate. Although where we were may be France Bay... not entirely clear.


Definitely Hen and Chicken Bay on the other side:


Smiles - the munchkin loves the outdoors:


She especially loves the outdoors when she gets to wear her raincoat and gumboots:



Beth still loves bike stuff, even though we haven't taken her for a ride since it have been cold:

Oh right, I remember this thing!

It ain't fun if you don't get soaked

Hey kids. How've you been?

Beth is now nearly 17 months old. And SUPER CUTE, if I do say so myself:

New raincoat. I want one.

Beth finally outgrew these fabulous cords, and Grant is still in mourning

The Fairy Poopsmith

Lookin' fab

Language has been a two steps forward, one step backward thing. It's interesting to watch. She will master a word and then stop using it completely, viz BUMP, which entered her lexicon 2 months ago, then vanished without a trace, then has been slowly creeping back in over the last few days. So from memory, she can say mum, dad, dog, duck, what's that? (these last four sound the same to the uninitated), bump, cheese, keys (last two sound pretty much the same), Jake (guess the favourite cousin), and sometimes nana, and can make noises for monsters, tigers, elephants, snakes and donkeys.

She's now physically very dextrous, and can now run, sort-of stand on one leg, go up and down shallow steps without holding on to anything, throw a ball quite directionally, kick up to three times in a row for a dribble (already surpassing her mum!). She has been having a lovely time stomping around in puddles in her new raincoat and gumboots, which we got just in the nick of time because it has been freaking rainy in Sydney lately.

Grant takes her to swimming at Olympic Park on Tuesdays which she reportedly loves, Wednesday is her grandma hangout day (which she definitely loves, because she has the loveliest grandmothers in all the land), Thursdays we have finally found the local playgroup where she has a great time, and Friday is gymbaroo day, which she enjoys and which I think she is really getting quite a lot out of, even though we hardly ever do the homework, because we are rebels, y'all.

Otherwise it has been life as usual. Two words of advice: if you are fully breastfeeding your baby, you can eat whatever the hell you want and it will never touch your girlish thighs. Once you start to cut back on the feeds: not so much. Angie warned me but I didn't listen. More exercise or less cake are in my future, and possibly a pedometer revival. Grant is nagging me to do a 7km run in a few months but since I have not to date even run 2km I am not so sure. Speaking of which, Grant and his sister and possibly brother as well as our friend Ro are doing the City2Surf again per Grant's entry, so nag them to train if you happen to run into them.

We are heading back to Newcastle for the long weekend, and I hope everyone else has a similarly relaxing break planned!